The Sicilians lie in 10th, nine points clear of the bottom-three, but recent inconsistency has had them looking nervously over their shoulders.

They led at the San Siro against AC Milan on Sunday evening but fell to a late Filippo Inzaghi winner.

"I have many good memories of when I used to play with Empoli, but they belong to the past," the Australia midfielder said.

"Now I play with Palermo and I have to play well with this team. The match against Empoli is as important as the others. We have to leave behind (the defeat against AC Milan) and gain more points.

"Empoli is a difficult team, they run a lot and they are very determined, but we have to give more in order to win this match. We must win the three points."

Another ex-Empoli man Ciro Capuano is out for the rest of the season and requires surgery on a troublesome shoulder injury.

"The pain has gone, but I still don't feel very well," he said.

"I'm really sorry about leaving the team and my friends and not being able to play anymore.

"(But) if we continue playing like this we can save ourselves before the end of the season. We have to put aside the defeat and think about Wednesday. Playing in our stadium will surely be an advantage for us."

Palermo coach Francesco Guidolin has to choose between an unfit Fabrizio Miccoli or Uruguayan 21-year-old Edison Cavani to partner Amauri up-front.

Empoli notched an impressive third-consecutive victory on Sunday, beating Catania 2-0 in Tuscany.

Sebastian Giovinco scored the opener but is banned for the trip to Sicily, as is defender Felice Piccolo

Top-scorer Nicola Pozzi (knee) is a long-term injury, while midfielder Guillermo Giacomazzi (fever) and young Georgian forward Levan Mchedlidze are also sidelined.

Vittorio Tosto and Francesco Marianini should start with Andrea Raggi and Davide Moro set to warm the bench.